Farming systems in Ethiopia are plagued by soil-related problems which lead to poor productivity, declining soil fertility and soil erosion. Other common farming-related challenges include low fertilizer use and reduced farmlands because of population pressure.

Government efforts to address these problems by importing fertilizer, creating a soil fertility atlas, and setting up fertilizer blend plants, have not led to significant increases in crop production in rural areas.

A recent study by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in the Africa RISING research sites in Ethiopia shows that site-specific nutrient management, which combines plant nutrient requirements at each growth stage of a crop and the soil’s ability to supply those nutrients, could increase food productivity in the country.

Results from the study showed that the technology could double yields of grains, reduce farming costs and contribute to food security and resilience.